


To The Man Who Took My Favourite Coat

by SadGelatin



Series: Still Want To Know You [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Almost First Dates, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - No Capes, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Missed Connections, POV Third Person Limited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 15:30:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17449631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadGelatin/pseuds/SadGelatin
Summary: You finished the cigarette and left with my coat and I watched you walk away with it even though that was my favourite coat I kind of liked the thought of you having it even if I didn't know you or if i'd ever see you again. I wonder if you kept it, hung it up somewhere, even if you never wear it. And  wonder why you were crying.And I still want to know you.So, to the man who took my favourite coat, if you ever read this, contact me. I'd like to talk.Artemis is meddlesome, Dick is surprisingly poetic, and Jason wants nothing to do with any of it, except that he does.





	To The Man Who Took My Favourite Coat

**Author's Note:**

> i'm not all that familiar with artemis, so if she's kind of ooc, i'm sorry.  
> also  
> i have no beta, so all of my mistakes are my own.

Several days after he'd met Dick, Jason was sprawled on the couch at Artemis's apartment watching shitty reality tv while his friend was doing something on her laptop. It was quiet except for the TV and Jason was enjoying being able to relax with somebody else. The moment was broken, however, when Artemis spoke.

"Hey, tell me again what happened a few nights ago?"

Jason twisted his torso to look at Artemis, "You mean the guy I met?" He asked, arching an eyebrow, "Why the hell do you want to hear about that again?"

"Just tell me what happened?" Artemis pressed, eyebrows scrunching together at whatever she saw on the screen.

"I was sitting on the curb because my dad had a melt down, and some guy sat down beside me and tried to talk to me. He gave me his jacket and coughed when he took a drag off my cigarette and then I left, and I forgot to give his jacket back."

Artemis made a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat, "You should read this then." She said, turning his laptop towards Jason.

Jason arched an eyebrow and shifted so he could get a look at the screen. "Why are you reading missed connections ads?" He asked, looking up at Artemis without reading whatever she was trying to show Jason.

"Donna sent me the link. She knows the guy who posted it." Artemis replied.

Jason sighed and took the laptop from Artemis before settling on the couch to read the ad.

_You were sitting on the curb with your head in your hands when I passed you on the street, and I had no idea why. I had to stop because I wanted to know you._

_I was going to a bar to drown myself with cheap liquor and bad company when I passed you on the street, but I had to stop because you just looked so sad._

_Your hair was a mess and your shirt was ripped. you had blood in your mouth from your split lip and the tear tracks you hadn't wiped away when you looked at me were drying tacky on your cheeks._

_You told me to leave, but I gave you my coat instead and it started to rain. I kind of regret never learning your name because you still have it. I got soaked to the bone and the coat didn't fit you properly but it felt like a moment straight out of a movie._

_You didn't talk much, but you shared a smoke with me, and laughed when I coughed because that was my first cigarette ever. Your knuckles were split when you took it from me, and I wanted to hold your hand and rub my thumb over them, but we hadn't even properly said hello._

_You finished the cigarette and left with my coat and I watched you walk away with it even though that was my favourite coat I kind of liked the thought of you having it even if I didn't know you or if i'd ever see you again. I wonder if you kept it, hung it up somewhere, even if you never wear it. And  wonder why you were crying._

_And I still want to know you._

_So, to the man who took my favourite coat, if you ever read this, contact me. I'd like to talk._

"That's you." Artemis said when Jason looked up from the screen, "It's gotta be."

Jason shook his head, "No. No way it is. Has to be someone else."

"Yeah, how frequently do the people of Gotham sit down next to bloody strangers and give them their jackets?" Artemis crossed her arms and glared at Jason. "Message him."

"Artemis, this is gross poetic tripe, I'm not going to message him, because it isn't about me."

"Fine. Give me my laptop back."

Jason handed Artemis the laptop back and they lapsed back into silence, which was filled by the TV. Jason figured that was the end of it. Clearly, he should have known better.

About ten minutes later, Artemis spoke again. "He says his name is Dick."

Jason shot Artemis an incredulous look, "You messaged him!?" He snapped, reaching to take the computer from the woman.

Artemis got out of her chair with the laptop, moving out of Jason's reach, "Yes, I messaged him. You weren't going to. Is it him?"

"I don't know." Jason lied, "I didn't get his name."

Artemis pouted, "That's total bullshit. It's him, isn't it."

"Fine. Yes. Probably. Not many people willfully go by Dick. Now tell him you were mistaken and close the fucking ad." Jason rushed at Artemis, but the woman danced out of the way again.

"So not happening. He wants to know where you guys met." Artemis ran over to the kitchen table and sat down.

Jason gave her the most menacing look he could muster, and she stared back at him, unimpressed, "It was the bus stop on 32nd, wasn't it."

Jason's expression fell flat and he sighed, "Yes. It's close to my house." He said.

Artemis typed something on her laptop and Jason came around the table to watch over her shoulder, "Ask him to send a selfie so that we know he isn't some weird voyeur that was watching us or something."

Artemis rolled her eyes and typed out a message,  _'How do I know you're the guy I met the other night?'_

"Why are you pretending to be me?" Jason asked.

"Because you wouldn't message him."

They waited for a reply.

 _'Fair point, I suppose. How can I prove it?'_ Was the message that came in response.

"Awe, look, he's trying to accommodate your paranoia." Artemis cooed teasingly at Jason.

Jason glared at her, "Just type the fucking message."

_'Send pics? Of your face. Not anything else.'_

Artemis sent the message off, and again, they waited. A minute later, a picture came through.

"Hot damn, Jason. Even if this isn't the guy you met,you ought'a meet him." Artemis said with an appreciative whistle.

Fuck.

Dammit.

Absolute hell.

Dick's picture was even prettier than he'd been in the dark and the rain, when Jason couldn't make out much more than those fucking eyes. Jason's mouth went dry and he couldn't respond for a moment.

"He says 'What about you?'. He wants a picture to. Which is fair. Come here and pose for the camera."

Artemis moved to the side a little as she turned her laptop camera on. Jason wasn't really in the shot, so she pulled his face down so it was on camera.

"Dammit, stop manhandling me." Jason grumbled. He shoved at Artemis until she got off the chair, and he could sit down.

The face that looked back at him from the camera was tired. He hadn't shaved in a number of days, his eyes were dark from fitful sleep, the gash on his browline was scabbing, the bruise under his eye was turning yellow, and his lip wasn't healing because he kept biting it. He looked like shit.

"I look like shit." He said aloud. Artemis snickered behind him.

"Doesn't matter, just take the picture, Jay." She demanded.

Jason sighed and clicked the space bar. The camera snapped, and he closed the app in order to send the photo to Dick without even bothering to check if it was a good photo, because he knew that it wasn't.

The response came pretty quickly,  _'You look like you could use a coffee.'_

Artemis shoved Jason aside with her entire body as he started to type out a rejection. When she was seated, she typed,  _'You offering to buy?'_

"Oh my God, Artemis, no." Jason tried to grab the computer, but she pushed him back.

"Artemis, yes." She responded, "Jason, this guy is super hot, obviously super nice, and he likes you."

"He could just be really friendly." Jason argued.

The computer dinged,  _'Sure, if you'd like to meet up. I'd like to talk to you.'_

Jason stared at the screen and then sighed, "Fine. Where are we meeting?"

Artemis typed out the question, and Dick responded with the name of a kitschy little café that Jason wouldn't normally be caught dead in.

He couldn't help but think of how much of a mistake this was as Artemis hustled him out the door.

 

Dick's palms were sweating. Actually sweating. What the hell was wrong with him? He felt like a teenager asking out the popular girl. But this wasn't a date, he didn't even know this guy's name. They were just meeting up for coffee and to talk.

What were the odds that he saw the ad though? Dick felt positive some force in the universe was looking out for him at the moment.

He sat down at a table near the window when he'd gotten to the coffee shop he had chosen and watched the sidewalk, drumming his fingers nervously against the wood of the table as he waited. He didn't have to wait long, because about five minutes later, the man he'd met a few nights ago walked in.

He looked better than he had when Dick had seen him on the streets. His face was still bruised and cut, but his eyes weren't dull with whatever pain had sent him out onto that curb that night. Dick only realized he'd been staring when the man met his eye and gave him a bemused look.

Dick almost blushed.

Almost.

But he played it off with a charming smile and stood up, "Hey." He greeted. The man approached him and stood on the opposite side of the table, looking tense.

"Uh, hey." He said in response, "Hope you weren't waiting long."

"Just got here myself." Dick said. The air felt tense, but Dick kept his smile on his face, hoping that eventually the man would relax. "Do you want a coffee?" He asked, gesturing to the front counter.

The man looked over and grimaced, "Jesus, why did you pick this place?"

Dick's face fell a little and he couldn't help but tense up, "I'm sorry?"

"It's so expensive." The man elaborated, rubbing the back of his neck and looking towards Dick but not exactly at him.

Dick relaxed again, "Oh. Don't worry about it, I'll pay." He said, his easy smile sliding back onto his face, "I did offer." He nodded towards the counter, "Come on."

The man followed him and they stood in silence as they waited in line. To Dick, the silence felt suffocating and his brain was urging him to break it. "So, do I get to know your name this time?" He asked.

The man grunted and gave Dick a sideways look. "It's Jason." He said after a long moment in which Dick thought that he wouldn't answer.

Jason.

"Jason." He smiled a little, "Well... It's good to officially meet you, Jason."

Jason gave him a deadpan look, "Just because you didn't know my name doesn't mean our first meeting wasn't 'official'." He said. Dick could hear the air quotes, even though Jason's hands remained in the pocket of the threadbare red hoodie he was wearing.

"Well, I figured that this would be better to count as our first impression. Since it isn't dark, or raining, and you haven't been sitting on a curb for god knows how long out in the cold." Dick responded.

Jason shook his head, "This can be your first impression of me, but my first impression of you was when we first met."

Dick was silent for a moment as he thought that over. "Was it a good first impression?" He asked as they got to the front of the line.

Jason looked at him, "It wasn't a bad one." He said, and shrugged one shoulder before looking up at the menu, "Don't you guys have just black coffee?" He asked, looking at the barista behind the counter.

She blinked at him, but nodded, "Yeah, we can do just a plain black coffee." She said.

"Then I'll just have a plain back coffee."

The barista typed it in, then looked at Dick, "And for you, sir?"

"I'll have a cappuccino with cinnamon." Dick said as he pulled out his wallet.

"Is that for here or to go?" She asked.

"To go." Jason cut in before Dick could answer.

Dick blinked and then nodded, "To go, I guess." He confirmed.

The barista gave him his total, and he paid in cash and added an extra five to the tip jar, "Thanks." He flashed her a charming grin. Jason had already walked away to go wait for their drinks.

Dick joined him and looked down at his feet, "You know, you didn't have to agree to get coffee with me." He said.

"Technically, my friend agreed for me and didn't give me much of a choice." Jason replied, and Dick felt his stomach drop. Before he could say anything, however, Jason kept talking, "But I could think of worse ways to spend my time. She probably did me a favour." He continued, then a beautiful little smirk graced his lips, "As long as you don't turn out to be, y'know... A dick."

Dick groaned and glared half-heartedly at Jason, "God dammit." He said, but he smiled despite himself and chuckled a little.

They got their coffee quickly and Dick stared as Jason dumped about half of it out into the trash, and filled the cup with cream and six packets of sugar.

Jason looked Dick dead in the eye once he was finished and slowly took a sip from the cup, "Problem?" He asked.

"That was a lot of sugar." Dick responded.

Jason snorted, "Yeah, I like my coffee sweet."

"How do you like your men?" Dick asked.

Jason smiled against the lip of his to go cup, "Who says I like men at all?"

Dick felt his face flush. Oh jesus, he was an idiot, "I don't..." He started, but Jason started to laugh, and he trailed off.

"Relax." Jason took another sip of his coffee, "Wanna walk? No offense to you, but this place has shitty atmosphere, and too many people. We should've met at a park or something. There's a food truck that parks near Robinson Park that sells great chili dogs." He said.

Dick blinked and then nodded, "A walk would be nice."

Jason shrugged and started for the door, leaving Dick to follow.

They walked in silence for awhile, and Dick felt the tension seeping back into the atmosphere again. Maybe it was him. He looked over at Jason, watched him as he sipped his coffee. He needed to stop developing the habit he was seeming to develop of staring at Jason, before the other man noticed.

"You do that a lot." Jason commented.

Dick blinked, "You've known me for all of fifteen minutes." He replied.

"That should tell you how much you do it, if I'm pointing it out."

"Do what? What am I meant to have been doing a lot?"

Jason didn't answer and Dick took a sip off his cappuccino. "Staring at me." Jason answered finally, and Dick choked, then started to cough.

Jason thumped him on the back and started to laugh, "You're not subtle." He said once Dick had stopped dying.

A blush coloured Dick's cheeks and he looked down at his coffee, "Sorry." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Jason shrugged, "Don't worry about it." He sipped at his coffee again and stopped on the sidewalk, "Want to get chili dogs?"

Dick recovered himself and smiled a little, "Sure. I love indigestion." He said.

Jason rolled his eyes, "Whatever, smartass, they're good." He tucked his free hand back into the pocket of his hoodie and sipped more of his coffee.

They both ended up getting chili dogs, and they sat down on a park bench to eat them.

"Why did you stop, really?" Jason asked, through a mouthful of food.

Dick washed his own mouthful down with his coffee and shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not really sure. You looked as miserable as I felt at the time, so I decided to join you."

"You didn't seem miserable." Jason pointed out.

"My ex used to say I always keep it together for everyone else." Dick said before grimacing mildly at himself, "I was trying to pull myself together, that night. It helped. Sitting there and being miserable with someone who wasn't trying to make me feel better."

Jason looked at him with a contemplative expression, "Misery loves company and all that." He said finally. He finished his food and chased it with the remainder of his coffee. "I don't have you jacket, by the way."

Dick blinked and then laughed a little. He'd completely forgotten about his coat when Jason had answered his messages. "I wasn't even thinking about that." He said. He stood when Jason did.

Jason threw away his trash in the nearest bin and shoved both his hands into his hoodie pockets, "Guess that means we'll have to meet up again some time."

Dick blinked, "Are you leaving?" He asked.

Jason nodded, "Yeah. I've gotta get home. My mother's been alone all day." He said, then hesitated, "But you should call me. When you want your coat."

"Call you? I don't have your number." Dick sounded confused.

Jason smiled a little, "Gimme your hand." He dug into one of his jean pockets and pulled out a sharpie. Like he'd been prepared for this. Dick offered Jason his hand, palm up, without much thought. Jason took it in his own and wrote out ten digits on Dick's palm in slowly, swoopy handwriting. "There." He said once he was finished, and had released Dick's hand, "Now you can call me." He put the sharpie in his pocket, "Thanks for the coffee and the food, Dickie. Be hearin' from you."

And just like last time, Dick watched as Jason walked away. A little smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he looked down at the numbers on his palm. Then he laughed. That had gone better than he had expected it to.

**Author's Note:**

> i typically don't post so much so rapidly but i just started getting my motivation back for writing, and this kind of came to me all so fast and i really wanted to share it with the world.  
> i've never written a date before, so if it seems awkward, that's why.  
> thank you so much for reading!!  
> comments and kudos are the best, and they help give me motivation to write!


End file.
